The verdict in three sentences
A field service scheduling SaaS for maintenance SMEs launches with a multi-tenant MVP that falls in Kolonell's medium application bracket, 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR), delivered in 4 to 5 months. Priced at EUR 49 to 99 per technician per month in Berlin, or GBP 42 to 85 in London, it covers its fixed costs (hosting, maintenance, support, acquisition, amortisation) at about 40 customers. The hard part is not technical: it is picking a niche narrow enough to sign those 40 customers in 12 to 18 months.
Why a vertical niche beats generic tools
Generic field service tools sell, as a 2026 order of magnitude, for EUR 30 to 80 (GBP 25 to 70) per technician per month. They handle scheduling well but miss trade-specific obligations. A former lift company director knows those by heart: periodic maintenance visits required by regulation, an inspection log per unit, statutory examinations (in Germany under the industrial safety ordinance, in the UK under LOLER thorough examinations), parts traceability, and night and weekend call-outs.
That is the edge of a vertical SaaS: a one-sentence pitch, customers who know each other through trade bodies, and a price you can defend because the tool prevents costly misses. The same logic works for automatic doors, communal boilers or fire safety systems.
Architecture and MVP scope
| Component | Recommended choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-tenancy | One PostgreSQL database, tenant isolation with row-level security | Single deployment, controlled hosting costs |
| Technician app | Offline PWA: daily schedule, asset records, photos, customer signature | Basements and lift shafts have no signal |
| Scheduling | Drag-and-drop board per technician, recurring visits | Core of the product for the operations manager |
| Contracts and assets | Units, contracts, frequencies, history | Auto-generates visits that are due |
| Job sheets | Signed PDF sent to the end customer | Evidence that holds up, no more paper |
| Subscriptions | Recurring billing by card and SEPA or Bacs direct debit via Stripe | Automatic collection, 14-day free trial |
| Hosting | European cloud, daily backups | GDPR expectations are high |
Out of the MVP: automatic route optimisation, spare parts stock, end-customer portal, native store apps, multiple accounting integrations. These are quoted on request once the first 20 customers are signed and their real requests are known. An MVP that tries to do everything quickly overshoots 7,000,000 FCFA and 6 months, and delays the first sales.
Break-even numbers
| Monthly cost (2026 order of magnitude) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Hosting, backups, monitoring, tooling | EUR 400 |
| Kolonell Premium maintenance (120,000 FCFA) | 183 EUR |
| Maps, SMS and transactional email | EUR 200 |
| Part-time customer support | EUR 1,200 |
| Acquisition: trade fairs, targeted ads, demos | EUR 1,500 |
| MVP amortisation at the top of the bracket, 10,670 EUR over 24 months | EUR 445 |
| Total fixed costs | EUR 3,928 |
| Revenue assumption | Value |
| Entry price | EUR 49 per technician per month |
| Price with statutory contracts and call-outs | EUR 99 per technician per month |
| Average target customer | 2 technicians on the entry plan |
| Average revenue per customer | EUR 98 a month |
| Customers needed to break even | 3,928 / 98, about 40 |
| Recurring revenue at 100 customers | EUR 9,800 a month |
Payment fees of 1.5 to 2 % per transaction stay marginal. The main lever is the move to the EUR 99 plan: one third of customers on it lifts average revenue to about EUR 131 and brings break-even down to 30 customers.
A 4 to 5 month timeline
Scoping and mock-ups with 3 pilot SMEs: 3 weeks. Multi-tenant core, scheduling and contracts: 7 to 8 weeks. Offline technician app: 4 weeks. Subscriptions, trials and billing: 2 weeks. Closed beta with the pilots: 3 weeks. That is 19 to 20 weeks in total.
Mini case study
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Anna, 51, ran a 25-technician lift maintenance company in Berlin for twelve years. She launches her SaaS with an MVP at the top of the medium bracket, 10,670 EUR, and 3 pilot SMEs from her network. By month 6 she has 12 customers, by month 12, 34, by month 15, 42. At EUR 98 average revenue, 42 customers bring in EUR 4,116 a month against EUR 3,928 of fixed costs: break-even in month 15. Her total outlay, build plus cumulative early losses, stays around EUR 30,000, an amount a founder can fund with savings and a start-up loan.
FAQ
Do we need a native app in the stores?
Not for the MVP. An offline PWA covers 90 % of a technician's needs, and a native app can be quoted later if customers ask for it.
How do we guarantee one customer never sees another's data?
With row-level isolation in the database, tested automatically on every release. It is the first question an SME buyer asks, often in the second demo.
Who owns the SaaS code?
The founder, entirely. That is essential to raise funds or sell the company later.
What does maintenance cost after launch?
Kolonell offers 35,000, 75,000 or 120,000 FCFA a month (53, 114 or 183 EUR). For a commercial SaaS with an uptime commitment, Premium is recommended.
Can we test the market before funding the MVP?
Yes: a clickable mock-up and 10 interviews with maintenance SMEs, run in 3 to 4 weeks, validate pricing and priority features before development starts.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your target trade, your future customers' obligations and your 3 pilot SMEs, and we will scope a sellable MVP in 4 to 5 months. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
